TAMPA, Fla — The Jewish community continued to observe Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, with security, following a terrorist attack at an overseas synagogue that left two people dead and three others in serious condition.
The attack happened in Manchester, England, as people were gathering for Yom Kippur services.
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"This has been officially declared as a terrorist incident. I can confirm that two other individuals have been arrested in connection with this incident and enquiries are ongoing," Stephen Watson, Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable, said.
The attack has heightened concerns about antisemitism within Jewish communities worldwide, including in the Tampa Bay area, where synagogues that would normally have security continued to do so on Thursday.
Jonathan Ellis, chair of the Tampa Jewish Community Relations Council, said security has been a primary concern for local Jewish communities.
"You can go to any synagogue today, and my guess is you'll see one or more police cars or law enforcement automobiles there," Ellis said.
Ellis notes that antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels in recent years.
"You've never really had a level of antisemitism that I've seen until recently in the last two years," Ellis said.
The community continues to heighten security measures as the two-year anniversary of the October 7, 2023, terror attack in Israel approaches. However, Ellis believes the most important step forward involves taking a step back as a society.
"I think there has to be a level of sort of de-radicalization of a number of people within the United States," says Ellis, "They're getting radicalized on the right, but they're also getting radicalized on the left, and you're seeing it on both these things. Shooting two people outside of an event in Washington is not going to free Palestine," Ellis said.
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